Published: Sunday, October 20, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, October 17, 2013 at 2:57 p.m.

Michelle Boudreaux's family and friends will always remember her as a proud New Orleans Saints fan.

The Raceland resident died last Sunday after a battle with cancer. Soon after, her loved ones were on a mission to honor her memory.

Earlier last week, the group won a football signed by Saints running back Pierre Thomas to give to Boudreaux's daughters, Gracie, 12, and Madison, 14.

Boudreaux, 44, was a special education teacher at Lockport Upper Elementary School. She loved teaching, country music and more than anything, rooting for the Saints each week.

“She was a big-time Saints fan and a huge Kenny Chesney fan,” LeBlanc said. “That's all she ever talked about.”

LeBlanc said she and her friends often checked Facebook during games to see what Boudreaux had posted about her beloved team.

Out of habit, LeBlanc logged on. A post on Thomas' Facebook caught her eye.

“During a game, we were used to seeing posts from her,” she said. “Instead, I saw the picture of that football.”

Thomas was offering to give away an autographed pink football and towel for Breast Cancer Awareness month. He asked fans to like, share and comment on the photo of his football to enter the giveaway.

“I immediately thought, 'I need to do it,' ” she said.

Boudreaux's family and friends began commenting and sharing the photo with sweet messages.

Though many others entered the giveaway, LeBlanc said the group drew inspiration from their fearless friend.

“She was so determined,” LeBlanc said. “Michelle never gave up. She was determined to live her life to the fullest.”

LeBlanc even sent Thomas a private message explaining what the group was trying to do. The football player was touched.

“Almost immediately he sent a message back asking for my phone number so his manager could call me,” she said. “He told me he wanted to choose us as the winners.”

Since the contest had to have one clear winner, Thomas announced LeBlanc as the champ on his Facebook page and thanked Boudreaux's friends and family for their efforts.

“There's a great story on why I picked Susan as the winner,” he wrote on his page. “Her friend Michelle S. Boudreaux passed on from cancer this past Sunday, and Susan, along with dozens of her friends got my attention with some kind words of their friend. She's giving the football to Michelle's two daughters in memory of their mom who was a big Saints fan.”

Coincidentally, Thomas was scheduled to meet fans and sign autographs Tuesday at Rouses at Main Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The group planned to meet with Thomas at the store to thank him for what he'd done. Michelle's daughters joined them to make the night a true family affair.

“For the group, this was all about the girls,” LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc bought each girl a pink football to have Thomas sign at the event. When the contest prize comes in the mail, she plans to give it to their father, Horace.

LeBlanc said she's glad she and Boudreaux's family and friends had the chance to honor her memory this way.

“I felt like we needed to do this for Michelle,” she said. “It just felt like something we needed to do.”

Boudreaux's sister, Jaime Schexnayder, said she was happy to see how many lives her sister had touched.

“I saw it on Facebook and people had started entering my sister's name,” she said. “It was so awesome.”

Schexnayder was part of the group that met with Thomas at Rouses. While she loved meeting the football pro, she said she would have enjoyed it more if her sister were there.

“It was bittersweet,” she said. “We were meeting him under unfortunate circumstances, but I'm glad her girls had the opportunity to do that.”

Despite the sad circumstances, Schexnayder said she thinks Boudreaux would have been proud to watch her daughters get their footballs signed.

“I could see her smiling down at us,” she said. “And the girls had a big, old grin on their face.”

<p>Michelle Boudreaux's family and friends will always remember her as a proud New Orleans Saints fan.</p><p>The Raceland resident died last Sunday after a battle with cancer. Soon after, her loved ones were on a mission to honor her memory.</p><p>Earlier last week, the group won a football signed by Saints running back Pierre Thomas to give to Boudreaux's daughters, Gracie, 12, and Madison, 14.</p><p>Boudreaux, 44, was a special education teacher at Lockport Upper Elementary School. She loved teaching, country music and more than anything, rooting for the Saints each week.</p><p>“She was a big-time Saints fan and a huge Kenny Chesney fan,” LeBlanc said. “That's all she ever talked about.”</p><p>LeBlanc said she and her friends often checked Facebook during games to see what Boudreaux had posted about her beloved team. </p><p>Out of habit, LeBlanc logged on. A post on Thomas' Facebook caught her eye.</p><p>“During a game, we were used to seeing posts from her,” she said. “Instead, I saw the picture of that football.”</p><p>Thomas was offering to give away an autographed pink football and towel for Breast Cancer Awareness month. He asked fans to like, share and comment on the photo of his football to enter the giveaway.</p><p>“I immediately thought, 'I need to do it,' ” she said.</p><p>Boudreaux's family and friends began commenting and sharing the photo with sweet messages. </p><p>Though many others entered the giveaway, LeBlanc said the group drew inspiration from their fearless friend.</p><p>“She was so determined,” LeBlanc said. “Michelle never gave up. She was determined to live her life to the fullest.”</p><p>LeBlanc even sent Thomas a private message explaining what the group was trying to do. The football player was touched.</p><p>“Almost immediately he sent a message back asking for my phone number so his manager could call me,” she said. “He told me he wanted to choose us as the winners.”</p><p>Since the contest had to have one clear winner, Thomas announced LeBlanc as the champ on his Facebook page and thanked Boudreaux's friends and family for their efforts.</p><p>“There's a great story on why I picked Susan as the winner,” he wrote on his page. “Her friend Michelle S. Boudreaux passed on from cancer this past Sunday, and Susan, along with dozens of her friends got my attention with some kind words of their friend. She's giving the football to Michelle's two daughters in memory of their mom who was a big Saints fan.”</p><p>Coincidentally, Thomas was scheduled to meet fans and sign autographs Tuesday at Rouses at Main Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.</p><p>The group planned to meet with Thomas at the store to thank him for what he'd done. Michelle's daughters joined them to make the night a true family affair.</p><p>“For the group, this was all about the girls,” LeBlanc said. </p><p>LeBlanc bought each girl a pink football to have Thomas sign at the event. When the contest prize comes in the mail, she plans to give it to their father, Horace.</p><p>LeBlanc said she's glad she and Boudreaux's family and friends had the chance to honor her memory this way.</p><p>“I felt like we needed to do this for Michelle,” she said. “It just felt like something we needed to do.”</p><p>Boudreaux's sister, Jaime Schexnayder, said she was happy to see how many lives her sister had touched.</p><p>“I saw it on Facebook and people had started entering my sister's name,” she said. “It was so awesome.”</p><p>Schexnayder was part of the group that met with Thomas at Rouses. While she loved meeting the football pro, she said she would have enjoyed it more if her sister were there.</p><p>“It was bittersweet,” she said. “We were meeting him under unfortunate circumstances, but I'm glad her girls had the opportunity to do that.”</p><p>Despite the sad circumstances, Schexnayder said she thinks Boudreaux would have been proud to watch her daughters get their footballs signed.</p><p>“I could see her smiling down at us,” she said. “And the girls had a big, old grin on their face.”</p>